1 May 2015

Probable lineup vs. QPR: Massive boost for LFC; Surprise recall for Manquillo?

After a mid-season period of sustained good form, Liverpool's season is now descending into mediocrity, and with four defeats in the last seven games, a home game against relegation candidates is exactly what the Reds need to get back on track. Well, on paper, that's the way it seems, but nothing is guaranteed, and anything but a victory will almost certainly extinguish the club's slim Champions League hopes, and - quite possibly - Brendan Rodgers' Anfield career.

Team news:

* Lucas is back in full training after a groin injury, and should be available for selection.

* Alberto Moreno has recovered from a 'knock', which has kept him out of the last two games.

* Gerrard is back in contention after being rested in midweek.

* Jon Flanagan is out for the rest of the season (and next season by the looks of things)

* Sakho is not expected to make the squad this weekend.

Loathe as I am to repeat myself again, but Rodgers needs to stop signing his own death warrant by playing Gerrard in midfield, and Balotelli as a lone striker, a tactic that always results in abject failure.

Why Rodgers can't see this is anyone's guess, and if he adopts the same strategy against QPR tomorrow, it'll provide proof-positive that he is incapable of doing what's best for the team. Hopefully, though, he'll learn from the last few games and play aces in their places. With that in mind, I hope to see the following team:

----------------- Mignolet

----- Can ------- Skrtel ------ Sakho

-- Johnson -- Hendo -- Lucas (if fit) ----- Moreno

------------ Gerrard - Coutinho

---------------- Sterling

If Rodgers goes with a 442:

------------------- Mignolet

Johnson ------ Skrtel ---- Lovren ------ Moreno

-------------------- Lucas (Allen if not fit)

----------- Hendo ----------- Can

------------ Coutinho -- Coutinho

------------------ Sterling

* Like many other LFC fans, I'd rather not see Johnson in the starting line-up, but it's a question of balance, and with Javier Manquillo currently on Rodgers' s&^t-list, he's the only dedicated right-sided defender available. If Manquillo does come back into the team, though, it'll be a major surprise considering he's barely featured this year.

* Ibe is increasingly overhyped, and right now, he's all hustle/bustle and no end product. Gerrard may be on his last legs but he's still an infinitely better player than Ibe, and with leadership needed in the last four games, the captain has to play (IMO).

* Lallana and Markovic? Forget it. Total waste of £46m so far. That may change next season, but Liverpool needed at least one of those two (ideally Lallana, who is older and more experienced) to make some kind of consistent impact this season, and both players have spectacularly failed to add anything to the team. Ditto Balotelli.

Predicting a 2-0 win for Liverpool, Anfield legend Mark Lawrenson blasted the Reds' 'poor' performance against Hull on Tuesday, but back his old club to pul through against QPR. He told the BBC:

"There are not many leaders in the team [Liverpool], and quite a few of the players seem to be getting by on reputation at the moment. I think they will beat QPR because the the Anfield crowd will not accept anything less than 100% effort".

My prediction: 2-1 to LFC

Author: Jaimie K


30 comments:

  1. At least Gerrard can't be blamed for the last fiasco

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh , and Coutinho's good, but even he can't play twice in the same team. Plus I would play Markovic as wing back ahead of Johnson, lastly the team seems to be 4-1-4-1

    ReplyDelete
  3. my team would be mignolet; can, skrtel, lovren; markovic, henderson, lucas, moreno; coutinho, sterling, borini with yesil to come off the bench at some point. i'd also like to see branagan actually get on

    ReplyDelete
  4. And who is branagan?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't think we will pull a win against QPR. They always seem to lose by 1 against these big teams, lose against the small teams, and tie middle table teams.


    But I think with our goal scoring woes, we will lose 1-0 to QPR, no other way to put it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jaimie - can you please explain your constant belief that Mario is played as a lone striker. We do not play with a rigid frontline and all 3 front players can switch and interchange. I just don't understand people using this 'lone striker' as a contribution for Mario being such an abject failure. Mario is clearly dropping deep, coming to the sides a lot, with Sterling ahead of him in many situations. This constant 'lone striker' excuse is wearing thin.


    As for Gerrard also being played in the wrong position, then it's clear he no longer effective in AM either.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The "lone striker" does not imply that he is alone in attack, just that he is the focal point as the furthest man forward. No matter how fluid a team is, when a single striker is on the pitch, or 3 with a CF, it is incredibly easy for this player to become isolated, and that is one of Balo's biggest weaknesses.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Who's Manquillo?

    ReplyDelete
  9. He's already had about three years, so how will some remaining dead rubber games prove his worth?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jaimie ,
    Sorry for being stupid but how is this possibly 4-4-2 .

    If Rodgers goes with a 442:



    ------------------- Mignolet



    Johnson ------ Skrtel ---- Lovren ------ Moreno



    -------------------- Lucas (Allen if not fit)



    ----------- Hendo ----------- Can



    ------------ Coutinho -- Coutinho



    ------------------ Sterling

    ReplyDelete
  11. I honestly wouldn't start with 2 Coutinhos they just don't gel.

    ReplyDelete
  12. No I think your onto something there, sounds good to me.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ah but which Coutinho would you omit?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well said Mike Aitcheson - our Srason is over but cant wait for the boxing tonight -

    ReplyDelete
  15. Its a hard one i am leaning towards the one on the right.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yeah I get aroused talking about him too!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Honestly I don't know what Johnson is doing in Jaimie's team

    ReplyDelete
  18. Agreed. With Jaimie's prediction in mind, 0-1 loss but in truth boring draw more like it

    ReplyDelete
  19. Who are you again? What's your point exactly?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Loath not loathe....

    ReplyDelete
  21. Does yours lean to the right too?

    ReplyDelete
  22. I struggle to see how that explains his unwillingness to close down the opposition, to make runs, or his tendency to try to take on the entire defence or to save energy by just shooting over the bar from 40 yards out .......

    ReplyDelete
  23. Isn't he a TV detective?

    ReplyDelete
  24. We need to play those that are definately going to be here next season, anything else, is just a waste of playing time for those that need it..... Love to see some youth players make the squad....

    ReplyDelete
  25. Me neither, sugar

    ReplyDelete
  26. Well, if BR goes out and tells him "Hey, you're our main guy, score us a goal" but he doesn't know how to play this way, what would you expect him to do? He'd either isolate himself the whole match and do absolutely nothing, or completely waste the chances he's give because he doesn't know what to do with it.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Have you been on holiday for the past 2 weeks?

    ReplyDelete
  28. Aces in their places... brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  29. No, in this context, loathe is correct, and I've used that word deliberately. I don't care if it's technically incorrect:

    Loath = unwilling/reluctant.
    Loathe = a feeling of intense dislike.

    'loathe' is how I feel about making the Gerrard point in the article.

    ReplyDelete
  30. It's not technically incorrect it is totally incorrect. one is a verb the other an adjective

    ReplyDelete